Faldoni, parts 2836 - 2839

 2836. But he was willing to express the contrary notion because it is exactly what non-artists think, and he had so often been praised and rewarded for how long his painting took, and how difficult they were to complete that he had adopted the attitude for himself, even though he did not truly agree with it.

 2837. He was like so many professional men in the world who come to believe fervently in what ever it is they are paid the most for doing, even if it is destructive of themselves and everyone else.  In the end they mistake their accumulated wealth for evidence of the truth of their ideas.

 2838. How was it that he knew he was wrong you ask? One would only have to visit his studio, or for that matter the studio of any artist to find the explanation to this question. It will be found behind an old sofa, or in the corner under the edge of a rug, or even in the trash can underneath the coffee grounds and often stained by them. 

 2839. It is found in the preliminary drawing, and in the sketch in a notebook that was scribbled down in a moment of inspiration. A drawing done in a moment which contained the germ of the idea that Mr. Hunt may later spent a year elaborating. But when the year is past, and the work is completed, he will compare the finished work to the original unfinished drawing, and he can never escape the realization that the preliminary drawing is the better work, and can’t even be improved upon.